WawonaNews.com - December 2015

​ Yosemite Bears Learn Their Lesson (And So Do We)

Park Campaign to “Keep Bears Wild” Contributed to Success

NPS - Yosemite National Park has recorded the lowest number of human-bear incidents since 1975, when the park initiated its first human-bear management program. In 2015, there were 76 incidents, which resulted in $4,909 in property damage. (A bear incident occurs when a bear causes property damage, obtains food, acts aggressively, or injures a person.) This represents a 95% reduction in number of incidents and a 99% reduction in property damage from the record high in 1998, when there were approximately 1,600 incidents resulting in $660,000 in property damage. Although injuries are relatively uncommon and minor, this year also marked the fourth year in a row in which there were no injuries caused by bears in Yosemite.

In 1998, dozens of black bears broke into cars and roamed campgrounds looking for food. It was not uncommon on a summer evening for bears to break into 10 to 15 cars. Most of these cars contained food, leading bears to become food conditioned. Additionally, many park visitors failed to store their food properly at campsites and picnic areas. The number of incidents escalated for several years in the mid-1990s. National media reported extensively on Yosemite’s human-bear conflicts, which caught the attention of a U.S. representative from California. To help curb the problem and educate park visitors, the congressman secured $500,000 per year for Yosemite to address human-bear conflicts and implement solutions.

With the high number of human-bear incidents and extensive property damage, the park used the additional funding to decrease incidents by reducing the availability of human food to bears and improving food storage facilities. In 2000, the park unveiled the “Keep Bears Wild” campaign, which continues today. The campaign focuses on educating visitors and employees about their responsibility to store food properly while visiting Yosemite. Park rangers continue to educate visitors in person, produce videos, post signs, distribute flyers, and work with the news media to improve public awareness. Delaware North at Yosemite includes messaging in its restaurants and on grocery bags and paper cups. Yosemite Conservancy offers retail products, such as stuffed bears with ear tags containing an educational message, to increase awareness and help fund bear awareness programs.

With extensive messaging throughout the park, visitors became more aware of how their individual actions could save a bear’s life. The program saw incremental improvement in ensuing years as food storage improved, with a dramatic reduction in incidents beginning in 2011.

“We would like to thank park visitors for their help in making this campaign an overwhelming success,” stated Don Neubacher, Yosemite National Park Superintendent. “There is no more of a rewarding experience than seeing a bear foraging naturally.”

Even during a year with low incidents like this one, the work is not done. The park must continue to educate the public and visitors need to continue to store their food properly in order for this success to continue.

Yosemite Conservancy, the park’s philanthropic partner, has been instrumental to the success of the bear program on several levels. Yosemite Conservancy provided funding for several hundred of the bear-proof food lockers at campgrounds, trailheads, and parking lots. Last year, Yosemite Conservancy also provided funding to outfit bears with GPS collars. The GPS collars allow park rangers to track bears’ movements to learn about their habits. This has provided invaluable knowledge in learning about Yosemite’s bears.

YOSEMITE-WAWONA ELEMENTARY CHARTER SCHOOL MEETING

AGENDA Work shop on the 1st Interim Budget. Approval to be at the next Board meeting that will be set at this meeting.

HEARING OF PERSONS WISHING TO ADDRESS THE BOARDThe public may address the Board on any matter pertaining to the school that is not on the agenda. There will be no Board discussion and no action will be taken unless listed on a subsequent agenda. ACTION ITEMS

1st Interim Budget

INFORMATION ITEMS

BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS

STAFF REPORTS

NEXT MEETING DATE

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​ Wawona Fire Station nearing completion

A final walk through is scheduled within the next few weeks for the long awaited fire station in Wawona. More to come about a grand opening!

This award recognizes exceptional actions in saving a person’s life. Ms. Schlichting’s immediate, calm and proficient paramedic skills were critical in the successful outcome during a complicated child birth. ​Please see the following citation describing her actions and saving a life.

CITATIONFOR AN EXEMPLARY ACTHeidi L. SchlichtingIn recognition of her actions in delivering a newborn while in the line of duty, Ms. Schlichting is being recognized for her distinguished actions on behalf of the National Park Service.

Early on the morning of June 5, 2013 Ranger/Paramedic Heidi Schlichting was one of three Rangers who responded to a medical emergency at a local Wawona residence, for a woman who was reportedly giving birth. Ranger Schlichting was the first provider on scene. When she arrived at the residence, she found a scared, and confused young woman who was having a child, and was very emotionally upset. The woman was in a small hall bathroom, making access and providing care difficult.

Ranger Schlichting saw that a foot had delivered, and immediately recognized it as a breech birth; a potentially dire situation. Knowing that breech births typically come with complications and can be very difficult, she initially thought transport to a hospital would be the best option. However, after only a few minutes, and before an ambulance arrived, the infant’s second foot and legs delivered. At that point Ranger Schlichting decided delivery was imminent. After a few minutes of coaching the mother, the torso, arms and shoulders delivered with the baby positioned face down. The infant’s legs and arms were blue, a sign of inadequate oxygenation.

Approximately two minutes later, the head delivered and a baby girl was born. The infant was limp and unresponsive to Ranger Schlichting’s initial attempts to stimulate it. She then quickly suctioned the infant’s airway and began ventilating with a bag valve mask. After several minutes, the infant began taking breaths and giving weak cries. Ranger Schlichting then continued to assist ventilations until the baby was breathing adequately and became much less cyanotic. The mother and her newborn daughter were then taken by ambulance to a hospital where they recovered. It was later determined the infant had been born prematurely, at approximately 37 weeks.

​The pregnancy was unknown to the mother, let alone the knowledge that the baby was breech, and there had been no prenatal care. Ranger Schlichting’s proficient EMS skills, quick thinking, and calming bedside manner, were critical in the successful outcome of this unstable situation. This was only Ranger Schlichting’s second field delivery, and her first involving birth complications. ​For delivering a newborn under exceptional circumstances, Heidi L. Schlichting is granted the Exemplary Act Award of the Department of the Interior.

________________________________Sally JewellSecretary of the Interior

Exemplary Act Award of the Department of the Interior

A member of the Wawona Protection Staff, Ranger Heidi Schlichting, has been awarded the Exemplary Act Award of the Department of the Interior. Everyone is invited to attend the presentation ceremony honoring Ranger Schlichting, to be held on Tuesday, November 24, 2015, at 11:00 am, at the Wawona Community Center.

Honor Awards are the most prestigious recognition that can be granted by the National Park Service or the Department of Interior for career accomplishments, exceptional support of the Department's mission, or heroism. They are designed to give official recognition of singular or career achievements. The Exemplary Act Award was established in 1982 to honor an employee or private citizen who exhibits bravery in attempting to save the life of another. This award is based on the nature of the act and given individually or to a group.

​ 15th Annual Christmas Tree Auction ​

​Hello Wawona Families & Community Members!

Our school has been invited to participate in the 15th Annual Christmas Tree Auction @ The Pines Lakeview Room in Bass Lake this year! It will be on Sunday, December 6th from 3pm-8pm. This is a holiday fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Club of Oakhurst and other non-profits are invited to put together large Christmas trees, tabletop trees & wreaths that will be auctioned off that evening. A portion of the total money raised from auction items and event ticket sales will be donated to the Boys & Girls Club of Oakhurst, while the non-profits that decorate items and sell tickets will be able to keep a portion as well.

Wawona students have been invited to put together & decorate 2 items this year--1 small tabletop tree and 1 wreath. 75% of money raised from each of the 2 items our school decorates will be donated to YWECS, while the remaining 25% will be donated to the Boys & Girls Club of Oakhurst. This is a great way to raise a little extra funding, connect with other local non-profits and meet other mountain area community members...and start off the holiday season with a bang!

Our students will be decorating the tabletop tree with Ms. Loretta during Wednesday Art classes.BUT, WE NEED HELP WITH THE WREATH! We need a parent or community member to buy/create/decorate a wreath that can be auctioned off to raise funds for YWECS. If you love decorating for the holidays & can offer your time and decorations for a beautiful wreath, please reply to this email or call the school and let us know as soon as possible. **The wreath needs to be completed and at school by the end of the school day on Friday, Dec. 4th.**

Thank you!!!

ABOUT THE EVENT:

This is an ADULT event only, as there will be adult beverages throughout the evening. :) Hors d'œuvres and complementary champagne will be served throughout the evening and are included with your purchased event ticket. There will be a silent auction during the first part of the evening and the large Christmas trees, tabletop trees & wreaths will be auctioned off as live auction items later in the evening.

TICKETS:

Tickets are $40 pre-sale or $45 at the door. We have event tickets for sale in our school office. Stop by and see us! If you purchase a $40 pre-sale ticket from our school office, $10 will be donated directly to Yosemite Wawona Elementary Charter School!

RAFFLE TICKETS:

$5 raffle tickets are also available. Enter to win a beautiful print by our very own Nancy Robbins! Must be present at event to win. ALL money collected from raffle tickets sold by YWECS staff will be donated to Yosemite Wawona Elementary Charter School!

​ MARIPOSA COUNTY DROUGHT SURVEY

November 10, 2015 - On November 12, 13, and 14, the Mariposa County Health Department, in collaboration with several local agencies and organizations, will conduct a countywide survey to help us understand the full impact of the drought emergency on our communities. By asking you for this information, we can better respond to the drought emergency and seek additional funding to help us recover from the drought.

The information we ask you to provide is anonymous. This means we will not connect any identifying information specific to your household to the survey. We will not ask for addresses and/or names of people that live in the household.

We will be in many communities within Mariposa County and will be wearing orange reflective vests and identification badges. If at any time you are not sure if a team is part of the survey process, ask for the individual’s photo identification and call the Mariposa County Health Department at 209-966-3689 or 800-459-4466 to confirm the person at your doorstep is part of our team.

We look forward to hearing how the drought has affected you. Please contact the Mariposa County Health Department if you have any questions or would like additional information on the survey.

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YOSEMITE-WAWONA ELEMENTARY CHARTER SCHOOLBoard of Directors Meeting

NOTE: The Board will be asked to approve all of the following items by a single vote, unless any member of the Board or of the public asks that an item be removed from the consent agenda and considered and discussed separately.

Approval of agenda

Approval of minutes of the regular meeting, ****

Financial reports

Monthly approval of warrants (Action needed)

Financial Report

Payroll Report

Schedule a November budget workshop for 1st interim report and updated budget issues.

HEARING OF PERSONS WISHING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD

The public may address the Board on any matter pertaining to the school that is not on the agenda. There will be no Board discussion and no action will be taken unless listed on a subsequent agenda. ACTION ITEMS

Approve ARC dates for June 2016

Approve Nicassio School dates for May 31-June 3rd, 2016.

Discuss STRS and approve any needed action.

Update on transportation and vehicle purchase. Decision on new vehicle to purchased or not.